This invention relates generally to equipment and procedures for making wiring connections, and more particularly to equipment and procedures for quickly and easily making and breaking a large number of cable connections to an electronics module simultaneously, or any of such connections selectively. The invention is also applicable to facilitating the making or breaking of multiple-conductor connections if all the wiring passes through only a few cable connectors, or even just one.
A common apparatus used by the airline industry is an electronics module. Each electronics module is connected to other equipment by cables. An electronics module utilizes a common device, to make and break these cable connections, called a cable connector.
One category of electronics module contains equipment which operates a variety of functions in an aircraft passenger cabin. There is typically one electronics module for each row of passenger seats on an airliner. In a commercial airliner an electronics module is commonly mounted under a seat, and therefore is inconvenient or awkward to reach.
During flight, aircraft undergo a significant amount of vibration. Therefore, the electronics modules should be securely fastened to the aircraft and the cable connectors should be securely fastened to the electronics module. The electronics modules and the cable connectors, however, also require testing, repair and replacement, and therefore must be removable. For these purposes different designs are now in use, as set forth in detail in the inventor""s above-mentioned earlier patent document.
Such removal of electronics modules is quite frequent. In the airline industry, however, profit is made only by flying, and enormous loss or expense is incurred whenever aircraft must remain on the ground because of testing and repair.
Of course many spare modules can be kept available, so that a jetliner need not be delayed for the entire duration of testing and repair of a malfunctioning electronics module. Nevertheless the sensitivity of airline operations to idle time is so great that even a few minutes"" delay for removal or replacementxe2x80x94or for the availability of a highly trained technician to perform such proceduresxe2x80x94represents monumental cost.
Detailed discussion in the earlier patent document covers prior-art nonrack and rack configurations for mounting of electronics modules. That discussion shows that nonrack designs created routine maintenance processes that were extremely labor intensive and time consumingxe2x80x94whether the task at hand was simply changing out an electronics module or involved troubleshooting the cable connectors or wiring harness.
The discussion also shows that rack designs establish an intermediary or interface, between the cables and the electronics module, that is both mechanical and electrical. The rack is a mechanical intermediary, and the unitary cable connector is an electrical intermediary.
Establishment of this electromechanical intermediary greatly improves half of the maintenance effort, namely the ease and efficiency of changing out electronics modulesxe2x80x94although procedures remain cumbersome as to seating or unseating of multiple connections at the same time. As to cable troubleshooting, however, rack designs fail to make significant improvement.
Discussion in the earlier document also covers details of the Astier cable-connector patent, which teaches use of a locking element with several hooks for attaching individual cable connectors to a panel. The connectors, as introduced by Astier, still must be individually disconnected from the electronics module in order to-remove the module.
In general the precursor invention satisfactorily resolves all the above-discussed problems in the art. It has been found, however, slightly bulkier than optimumxe2x80x94leading in some unusual cases to interferences with other apparatus in closely confined spaces of commercial aircraft. In addition it is very slightly heavier than optimally desired.
From the preceding descriptions, it is apparent that prior-art devices currently being used have significant disadvantages. Even the precursor invention may be subject to useful refinement.
The present invention introduces such refinement. In its preferred embodiments, the present invention has several aspects or facets that can be used independently, although they are preferably employed together to optimize their benefits.
In preferred embodiments of a first of its facets or aspects, the invention is apparatus for making or breaking electrical connections between at least one electrical cable connector and an electronics module that has at least one corresponding panel connector, and that also carries module camming means. The module camming means are either a cam or a cam-follower; they are part of the electronics module. The module and cable connector are elements of the context or environment of the invention, not elements of the invention itself.
The apparatus of the invention includes an exclusively mechanical, nonelectrical intermediary between the cable connector and electronics module. The intermediary in turn includes a rack for receiving and holding the electronics module.
The apparatus also includes at least one cable-connector holder, formed in the rack. This holder receives and holds the at least one cable connector in positions that are aligned with the at least one panel connector when the electronics module is held in the rack;
The apparatus also includes rack camming means. These camming means are either a cam-follower or a cam, and complementary to the module camming means mentioned just above. It will be understood that the rack camming means and module camming means are mutually engageable to provide relative force as between the rack and module.
In addition the apparatus includes a lever fixed to either the rack or module for operating the rack camming means or module camming means. When operated, these camming means forcibly shift the module relative to the rack, so as to engage or disengage the at least one panel connector and the at least one cable connector.
The foregoing may represent a description or definition of the first aspect or facet of the invention in its broadest or most general form. Even as couched in these broad terms, however, it can be seen that this facet of the invention importantly advances the art.
In particular, this aspect of the invention relies upon intrinsically more-compact and lighter-weight camming means, distributed as between the rack (of the invention) and the module (forming part of the operating environment of the invention)xe2x80x94rather than an intrinsically more-extended and heavier linkage device that is wholly in the rack as in the precursor invention. As will be seen this shared functionality, together with reliance on camming rather than a linkage, is key to a much lighter and much less bulky overall construction.
It is correspondingly much more satisfactory in the stringently confined and weight-sensitive aircraft environment. The rack of the present invention can be used only when an electronics module with suitable complementary camming means is available.
Although the first major aspect of the invention thus significantly advances the art, nevertheless to optimize enjoyment of its benefits preferably the invention is practiced in conjunction with certain additional features or characteristics. In particular, preferably each cable-connector holder includes some means for easily and quickly engaging, or disengaging from, its corresponding cable connector.
Another preference that is particularly notable when the electronics module weighs at least several poundsxe2x80x94as is commonplacexe2x80x94is that the lever be a single lever for manual actuation by one hand, and that the cam and follower bodily move the electronics module. Yet another preference is that the camming means (i. e. the rack camming means and module camming means considered in the aggregate together) include substantially duplicate cam-and-follower sets at opposed sides of the module, both sets operated by said single lever when manually actuated by one hand.
It will be recognized, however, that only half of the camming means are in the rackxe2x80x94which is to say, in the invention. Thus this latter preference implies that the rack camming means, which are part of the invention, be either substantially duplicate cams or substantially duplicate followers.
In still another preference, the rack camming means include a first cam segment for forcible drawing of the module into the rack to firmly seat the panel connector with the cable connector, and a second cam segment for forcible ejection of the module slightly out of the rack to unseat the panel connector from the cable connector. When this preference is observed, then it is further preferable that the first segment have a concave arcuate surface for pulling the follower and the second segment have a convex arcuate surface for pushing the follower.
It is also preferable that the cam be formed in the lever, and the follower be a post projecting laterally from the module to engage the cam. Where applicable, it is also preferred that the lever be hinged to the rack.
Fastening means are preferably provided on the lever for helping to secure the lever, and the rack and module, in a fully engaged condition. When present, the fastening means preferably include a latch pin for engaging an aperture in the module.
Another preference is that the apparatus include offset alignment rods projecting forward from the module, and through holes in the rack when properly aligned, to prevent inverted installation. When present, these rods are preferably long enough to stop the forcible drawing of the module into the rack before the panel connectors engage the cable connectorsxe2x80x94in event of attempted inverted installation.
In preferred embodiments of its second major independent facet or aspect, the invention is an electrical interconnection system. It includes at least one electrical cable connector, and an electronics module that has at least one corresponding panel connector.
The system also includes a rack for receiving and holding the electronics module. Further included is at least one cable-connector holder, formed in the rack, for receiving and holding the at least one cable connector in positions aligned with the at least one panel connector when the electronics module is held in the rack.
In addition the system includes a cam and cam-follower. The cam is associated with either the rack or the module, and the follower with the other. A lever is fixed to the rack or module for operating the cam or follower. When the lever is actuated, the module is forcibly shifted relative to the rack, so as to engage or disengage the at least one panel connector and the at least one cable connector.
The foregoing may represent a description or definition of the second aspect or facet of the invention in its broadest or most general form. Even as couched in these broad terms, however, it can be seen that this facet of the invention importantly advances the art.
In particular, this facet of the invention provides the rack and module tailored together as a set. This more reliably ensures all of the weight and compactness benefits introduced above with respect to the rack that is the first aspect of the invention.
Although the second major aspect of the invention thus significantly advances the art, nevertheless to optimize enjoyment of its benefits preferably the invention is practiced in conjunction with certain additional features or characteristics. In particular, preferably all the preferences described above for the first facet of the invention are equally applicable to this second aspect.
In preferred embodiments of its third major independent facet or aspect, the invention is a method of interconnecting numerous cable connectors with corresponding numerous panel connectors of an electronics module that has opposed laterally projecting posts, using a rack that receives the module at one side of the rack and receives the panel connectors at another side of the rack and that has a single hinged-lever carrying opposed cams formed in the lever for engaging the posts. The method includes the step of inserting the electronics module partway into the rack.
It also includes the step of then operating the lever with one hand to actuate the cams against the posts, so as to bodily shift the module further into the rack. This step thereby seats all the cable connectors and corresponding panel connectors substantially simultaneously.
The foregoing may represent a description or definition of the third aspect or facet of the invention in its broadest or most general form. Even as couched in these broad terms, however, it can be seen that this facet of the invention importantly advances the art.
In particular, this aspect of the invention actually brings home the previously discussed constructional benefits in terms of a procedure for use by both installation and maintenance personnel. When new systems are first installedxe2x80x94and also later when maintenance is called forxe2x80x94the reduced bulkiness of the present invention is a significant advantage for personnel who must maneuver the module in and out of the rack.
By virtue of the refinements of the present invention, particularly including the one-hand operation of this third aspect, these new-installation and later-maintenance procedures are all much easier and surer.
Although the third major aspect of the invention thus significantly advances the art, nevertheless to optimize enjoyment of its benefits preferably the invention is practiced in conjunction with certain additional features or characteristics. In particular, preferably the apparatus preferences discussed above are applied in this method form of the invention as well.